The Kite Runner, beautifully and descriptively written by Khaled Hosseini, is a powerful story of a boy, Amir, and his privileged life in Afghanistan with his father, their servant, and his best friend, Hassan.  Amir’s disturbing character flaws are what drives the story forward, leading to a devastating and unforgivable event in his childhood that changes both Hassan’s life and his own.  As the story continues to unfold, Amir’s struggle with shame and regret creates a paradox for the reader: the feeling of compassion towards him and his search for self-worth and hatred for him for the coward that he was and still is.  In Amir, the author created a character that is not meant to be liked but to be understood, bringing the reality of his internal conflict to the rest of us and our own challenge to better understand ourselves. 

Woven skillfully into the book are the terrifying events of recent Afghanistan history.  Without allowing the politics to overpower the prose, the author paints a picture of the severe realities of life in Afghanistan.  The combination makes the story one that seems captivatingly real.  Though the ending is somewhat too convenient and the coincidences seem unlikely, the story as a whole provokes numerous feelings and questions that need to be explored, making it an excellent choice for a book club selection.

Sarah Morgan has taught 6th grade reading/language arts at John Adams Middle School for five years.  She grew up in Manly and has lived in Mason City with her family for the past six years.  This book was suggested to her by a friend, who described it as “one of the best books I’ve read in the past ten years!”